BRISTOL ROVERS 1, STOCKPORT COUNTY 1
Stockport County made the long midweek trek to the South West where their winning run came to an end after conceding a late equaliser in a rescheduled fixture at Bristol Rovers.
The match, which had been pushed back from its originally-scheduled January Saturday due to both clubs’ involvement in FA Cup-ties at Premier League venues, saw Tanto Olaofe give County an early second-half lead only for the Gas to cancel it out in added time.
It denied them a sixth straight League One victory and a first-ever triumph at the Memorial Stadium as well as leaving County keeper Ben Hinchliffe to wait a little longer for his 150th clean sheet.
The Hatters took to the field on a chilly February evening showing two changes from their starting line-up at Edgeley Park against Barnsley three days earlier.
Owen Moxon – making his first start as a Hatter – and Jack Diamond constituted the duo brought in, replacing club captain Lewis Bate and Kyle Knoyle. Kyle Wootton took the skipper’s armband in the absence of Bate, who had been ruled out with a slight muscle injury while Knoyle featured on a bench that also included recently arrived striker Sam Cosgrove, by way of an inaugural squad appearance for the Barnsley loanee.
Ten minutes had passed before the contest witnessed a first attempt of note, a header that was glanced by Chris Martin beyond County’s right post but, with a flag raised for offside, it had to consider itself struck from the record.
Half a dozen minutes later, the Hatters went close with a genuine headed chance after Will Collar connected with Diamond’s cross from the right forcing home goalkeeper Jed Ward to tip the effort over.
The hosts, lying two places and five points above the drop-zone, then fashioned their first proper opportunity, again a header as Luke Thomas met Ruel Sotiriou’s delivery from the left before sending the ball narrowly shy of the near upright.
But the Hatters, with three of the opening half-hour’s four corners to their name, were exerting more pressure overall. And, as half-time approached, only another instinctive save by Ward, who parried Wootton’s point-blank header, following another Diamond assist from the right kept the sides on equal terms at the break.
An early County corner after the resumption eventually fell to Collar, who skied over from the edge of the area. But the Hatters’ next chance, five minutes later, saw them break the deadlock.
Diamond created it with a low cross from the right to Wootton, who slid in to strike past the diving Ward and against the far post before Olaofe turned the ball in on the rebound for his ninth goal in all competitions.
Collar and Brad Hills forced further saves from Ward in quick succession before Rovers’ keeper punched away a strike by Odin Bailey with nine minutes left.
As four minutes of added time were announced, a free kick was awarded to the hosts and from it they drew level as Matt Butcher’s floated delivery was headed home by substitute Sil Swinkels.
The result keeps the Hatters fourth, one point behind third-placed Wrexham, although the Red Dragons now have two games in hand.
Goals (Swinkels 90+1) for Bristol. Olaofe (52) for Stockport.
Stockport (3-5-2): Hinchliffe; Hills, Connolly, Pye; Diamond (Hamilton 85), Collar, Norwood, Moxon (Bailey 72), Touray; Wootton (Knoyle 72), Olaofe (Cosgrove 72). Subs (unused): Addai, Andrésson, Rydel.
Attendance: 6,643 (526 visitors).
Report: Gareth Evans.